
Originally Posted by
RishadNoori
Hi, I received a mark on the Macbeth essay (out of 20) that I was very unpleasant about. Please grade my essay (out of 20), I want to see how close the teacher is with you people. Thank you.
The ups, then downs of a marriage
Marriage is a complex thing. It can have its ups and downs, joys and fights. For those couples who are lucky, marriage is what it`s intended to be, the joining of two individuals who love each other for life. In Macbeth, a play written by William Shakespeare, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth have a strong and united marriage, in the beginning that is. They loved each other and had that special bond. Unfortunately, this marriage was soon to go downhill, due to the independence and guilt that grew between Macbeth and Lady Macbeth, leaving a thick wall amongst them.
Throughout Acts I and II the Macbeths were well connected and united together. They sincerely loved each other and kept no secrets. When Macbeth is writing the letter to his wife, he tells her of his thoughts and the witches’ prophecies, referring to her as “my dearest partner of greatness” (I,v, 10). Right from the beginning Macbeth is shown as a romantic man who is close with Lady Macbeth, and has true love for her.
With the killing of King Duncan, Macbeth becomes more ruthless and independent. In Act III, Macbeth becomes paranoid and decides to get rid of his long time buddy, Banquo. Macbeth and Lady Macbeth don’t have many personal conversations with each other as there were in Acts I and II. Instead of plotting with Lady Macbeth, Macbeth goes to the murderers to discuss “where to plant [themselves],/Acquaint [them] with the perfect spy o’ the time”( III,i,129-130). In Act I, Macbeth was the scared and vulnerable person seeking orders and advice from Lady Macbeth. However, Macbeth is now the ruthless and strong person giving orders to the murderers and persuading them into committing the crime. Macbeth is now in charge, and decides to plan everything himself. Instead of Lady Macbeth being involved in the planning, Macbeth tells her to “Be innocent of the knowledge, dearest chuck” (III,ii,45). It should be noted that in the beginning Macbeth used ‘greatness’ instead of ‘chuck’. The change of words can conclude that there definitely is a change in the relationship, perhaps becoming more casual and less connected. Macbeth has come more independent and Lady Macbeth has lost her grip on him.
Finally, the relationship starts to become much more tensed when Macbeth becomes insane with guilt. Macbeth comes to realize what a horrible deed he has committed, and starts seeing Banquo`s ghost. With Macbeth going crazy, Lady Macbeth starts to become nervous because she doesn`t want to get caught, but Macbeth`s gradual insanity was surely to grab the suspicious attention of their guests. This short-lived episode causes an argument between Lady Macbeth and Macbeth, showing that the love is not as strong as it was before:
You make me strange
Even to the disposition that I owe,
When now I think you can behold such sights,
And keep the natural ruby of your cheeks,
When mine are blanch’d with fear. (III,iv,112-116).
It has come to the point where Macbeth and Lady Macbeth are treating each other like strangers. In this case while Macbeth is feeling guilty with the murders he has committed, Lady Macbeth is feeling no remorse and manages to put on a smile. They are no longer intimate with each other; they no longer share the strong bond they previously had. This breaking down of their marriage is due to the feeling of guilt and disturbance they have brought on themselves.
For many, marriage can be cherished forever. However, in the play Macbeth, by William Shakespeare, Macbeth and Lady Macbeth’s marriage deteriorated in a short period of time. While it was strong in Acts I and II, their marriage suffered due to the independence and guilt that grew between them in Act III. In the end, they were like strangers on the opposite side of the world. Marriage is a tough thing to keep a handle on, sometimes the couple can get a good grip on it, while other times it can fall out of both the individuals` hands.